Hay Merchant to launch bottled beer program

The Hay Merchant, one of the Houston’s most well-regarded craft beer joints, will begin offering beers by the bottle July 1.

Owner Kevin Floyd has been “collecting” beers for his new bottle program for far longer than the one-year-old gastropub has been open. He’s divvying his finds into categories such as “cellar,” “deeper flavors” and “expand your mind.”

“There are only three reasons why we’d offer something in a bottle,” Floyd said in an announcement of the program. “either it tastes better that way, it’s only available that way or we’ve been stashing it in the cellar to age it.”

More from the release:

The (bottle) list is heavy on Belgian-style favorites like Orval, Chimay, and Dupont, as well as smaller breweries like Les 3 Fourquets and St. Feuillien. Kevin as taken care to search out offbeat ciders, as well. Texas-based Argus and California Bonny Doon will offer drinkers non–beer choices on par with their malt-based brethren. Connoisseurs will definitely want to experience the cellar-aged Jester King Black Metal Batch #1 and Victory Wild Devil.

The bottled beers will be available for enjoying onsite or for take-out.